Cassette lowering and release mechanism

ABSTRACT

Cassettes are transported from a magazine to an operative position for playback or recording by a movable chassis which is smoothly and evenly driven by means including a small motor to the operative position. The cassette is also held at the operative position, released for movement from the operative position and returned to the magazine without jarring.

United States Patent Marcinkus [54] CASSETTE LOWERING AND RELEASEMECHANISM [72] Inventor: Donald W. Marcinkus, Arlington Heights,

[73] Assignee: Ampex Corporation, Redwood City, Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 875,045

[52] U.S. Cl ..274/4 F, 179/1002 Z, 242/200, 274 4 D [51] Int. Cl...G1lb23/12 [58] Field of Search ..40/28.l; 353/15; 352/8, 123;179/100.2 Z; 242/197-200; 274/4 F, 4 C, 4 B, 4 E, 11 C, 11 B [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,317,212 5/1967 Tatter ..274/4 FUX 3,332,319 7/1967 Gerry.... ..274/4 F UX 3,353,443 11/1967 Hall..274/4 F UX [451 May 2, 1972 3,359,665 12/1967 Gerry ..274/4 F UX3,385,534 5/1968 Staar... .....242/20O X 3,453,397 7/1969 Miller ..274/4F UX 3,485,963 12/1969 Murata... ..274/4 C X 3,494,572 2/1970Uemura..... 274/4 E UX 3,408,139 10/1968 Schwartz ..274/4 F UX FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,578,053 7/1969 France ..274/4 F PrimaryExaminer-Leonard Forman Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. DearingAttorney-Anderson, Luedeka, Fitch, Evan and Tabin and Robert G. Clay [57] ABSTRACT Cassettes are transported from a magazine to an operativeposition for playback or recording by a movable chassis which issmoothly and evenly driven by means including a small motor to theoperative position, The cassette is also held at the operative position,released for movement from the operative position and returned to themagazine without jarring.

4 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0070/0 W Mrcm/as X/Wflzifd, ATTYS.

Patented May 2, 1972 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 a N VE NTO 2 Dona/0 A/ Ma/a/zz/sPatented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5

m 10 INVENTO R.

Patented May 2, 1972 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet 6 new: NTosa Dona/0%! Iva/0010s Patented May 2, 1972 12Sheets-Sheet 7 I N v ENTO E Dona/0 A/ Md/C/IZUS ATTYS Patented May 2,-1972 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fig.1?

Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Fig. 18 3,43

IMVEINTO P- Add. as/64 3%, 6% 22m Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet l0 Fig, 20A

INVENTOR- ATTYS,

Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,857

12 Sheets-Sheet ll i mvc NTO 2 CASSETTE LOWERING AND RELEASE MECHANISMThis invention relates to a cassette changer having a magazine forstoring cassettes which are movable by a transport from a storageposition within a magazine to an operative playback recording positionat which a sound system and tape drive are effective and, moreparticularly, to the transport itself.

In a known cassette changer, the cassette transport comprises a movablechassis which lowers the cassette to the playing position whileinserting tape drive spindles into tape reels of the cassette and tapeengaging capstans into engagement with the tape. The movable chassis isdriven downwardly by a cam which stretches a pair of long centeringsprings attached to the movable chassis. During the terminal portion oflower movement, the movable chassis abuts and flexes a leaf springbeneath the movable chassis. The leaf spring is compressed as themovable chassis is driven toward the operative position at which themovable chassis is held by a latch against the urging of the centeringand leaf springs. The stretching of these centering and leaf springsrequires a considerable motor torque to drive the movable chassis andcassette to the operative position. Additionally, the movable chassiswas driven to a position beneath the latch and then released for aslight return travel until caught by the latch. Such release andcatching jars the mechanisms and the urging of the centering and leafsprings apply such forces that the movable chassis is difficult tounlatch for return movement.

Accordingly, a general object of the invention is to provide a simpleand positive drive, as contrasted with the prior art, for a cassettemovable chassis of the foregoing kind.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a cassette changer apparatus embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary, longitudinal cross-sectional view of thecassette storing magazine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partially broken away plan view of the cassettechanger;

FIG. 3 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view showing the cassettestoring magazine and the cyclically operable means for transferringcassettes to and from the playback or recording station;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a cassette and pause carrier;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic view of means for moving acassette holding bail;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal cross-sectional view of thecassette storing magazine;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a movable chassis for receivinga cassette;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a mechanism for driving a movablechassis;

FIG. 9 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 8 in another position;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of a pause carrier;

FIGS. 1 1 and 12 illustrate two positions for a fast wind control leverand a pause control lever;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a solenoid control switch lever andmechanism for causing a return of a cassette to the magazine;

FIG. 14 illustrates the positions of the switches controlled by themechanism ofFlG. 13;

FIG. 15 illustrates a pawl mechanism for moving the cassette storagemagazine;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view of a triangular shaped cam member;

FIG. 17 illustrates the pawl mechanism and an automatic shut-offmechanism for the cassette changer;

FIG. 18 illustrates the automatic shut-off mechanism of FIG. 17 in anoperated position;

FIG. 19 illustrates means for releasing push button selectors by theshut-off mechanism of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 illustrates a play/record and pause control mechanism;

FIG. 20A illustrates a tape sensing means;

FIG. 21 illustrates a forward fast wind selector and a reverse fast windselector;

FIG. 22 illustrates a lever controlled by the fast wind selectors ofFIG. 21;

FIG. 23 illustrates a fly wheel and a motor drive for the tape capstansand tape spindles; and

FIG. 24 illustrates a power roller for fast wind tape transport.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention isembodied in a cassette changer 11 having a magazine 13 in which arestored a series of tape cartridges 15 of the cassette kind each having apair of reels 16 and 17 (FIG. 4) between which is wound and unwound atape 18. Each of the cassettes is carried by the magazine 13 into atransfer position for transferring from the magazine through a slot 19(FIG. 3) to a movable chassis 20 which carries a pair of rotatablespindles 21 for penetrating the reels l6 and 17 and drive capstans 23for engaging the tape.

In accordance with the present invention, the movable chassis 20 isdriven downwardly by a motor drive means comprising a motor 25 (FIGS. 5and 6) and a first cam 28 which causes a lever 31 to shift the movablechassis from the storage position in the magazine to the playingposition. Means in the form of a switch 153 is provided for sensing thepositioning of the movable chassis 20 at the operational position andfor stopping further movement of the movable chassis 20 by disabling themotor drive means. As will be explained, the movable chassis is moveddownwardly smoothly and evenly to the position for playback or recordingwithout compressing a return spring as in the prior art and it is thecam 28 itself which lifts the movable chassis from its lowermostposition rather than a return spring as in the prior art. That is, whenthe motor drive means is again operated, it positively drives themovable chassis and cassette upwardly to the magazine rather thanunlatching a return spring force to lift the chassis initially.

Referring now in greater detail to the individual elements of theinvention, the cassette changer includes a main frame having a top plate35 on which are disposed a number of selector switches for conditioningthe cassette player in the desired mode of operation. In this embodimentof the invention, a first selector switch 39 is in the form of a rotaryknob which may be turned to positions as follows: a repeat position Awhich results in a cassette being repeated; an auto position B in whicheach cassette in the magazine is played and both sides or tracks of thetape are played; a side one position C in which the changer isconditioned to play only the first side or track of each of thecassettes in the magazine; and a side 2" position D in which the changeris conditioned for playing only the second side or track of thecassettes in the magazine.

To indicate which side or track of the tape is being played, a firstside one lamp 40 or a second side two lamp 41 is lit on the controlpanel 35. As will be explained, these lamps 40 and 41 signify which sideof the tape is being played and in which direction the tape is moving.

To control other functions of the record changer, there are providedother operator controls or selectors in the form of push buttons on thecontrol panel 35. A first push button 42 is a record" push button which,when depressed, places the changer in the mode for recording on themagnetic tape 18. The next push button 42A is labeled pause and it maybe operated to interrupt playback during any particular portion of aplayback or recording operation. The next buttons 42B and 42C will, whenoperated, result in a fast wind of the tape in the direction indicatedby the arrows thereon at a speed faster than the normal operationalspeed. A reject button 42E is provided which, when operated, causes thecassette 15 to be immediately ejected and returned from the operationalposition to the storage position in the magazine 13. A play/recordbutton 42D must be depressed to cause either a playback or recordingoperation. The next push button 42F operates an off/on switch which,when depressed, is in the on position for connecting the electricalpower source to the motor drives for the cassette changer.

The magazine 13 for shifting each of the various cassettes is placedtherein into the transfer position over the slot 19 is in the form of anopen tray having vertical side walls 45. A plurality of compartments areformed within the tray by vertically disposed rib partitions 47 formedin the longitudinal side walls. The cassettes are inserted into thecompartments and are spaced by the rib partitions 47 with the tape 18facing downwardly.

The magazine 13 is disposed for sliding along and between a pair oflongitudinally extending walls 49 defining opposite sides of an openmagazine receiving chamber and is guided by projecting tongues 51 fixedto the outer and lower edges of the longitudinal magazine side walls 45and projected into grooves 53 in the stationary frame of the changer.The tongues 51 rest on the lower edges of the grooves and slide freelythereon to guide the magazine for straight line travel along a pathduring which each of the compartments therein will be aligned with thetransfer slot 19 in a stationary, horizontally disposed plate 55 beneaththe movable tray. The bottom of the magazine 13 is also open and allowsthe lower edges of the cassettes to rest on a pair of parallel supportrails 56 which are fixed to the plate 55 and extend longitudinallybeneath the magazine throughout its length of travel except for theopenings which interrupt the rails 56 at the transfer slot 19.

For the purpose of selectively releasing each cassette for transferthrough the slot 19, the cassettes are releasably supported at one loweredge, as best seen in FIG. 5, by a support bail 59 which is pivoted fromits supporting position to a release position in which it is spacedlaterally from the eassettes 15 and permits the cassette to drop throughthe slot 19. The cassette support bail 59 is pivotally mounted byupwardly extending arms 61 disposed along the vertical sides of thecassette changer having inwardly bent arms or ends 63 pivotally mountedin sockets formed in the interior of end side walls 45 of the magazine.The support bail 59 is located at the interruption in the parallelsupport rails 56, i.e., at the transfer slot 19, so that pivoting of thesupport bail results in the bottom of the cassette being unsupported andfalling freely downwardly.

To release the cassette 15 at the appropriate time and to return thesupport bail 59 to its support position to prevent an operator frominserting and superimposing a second cassette through the vacatedcompartment and against the inserted cassette, the support bail 59 isdriven from its support position to its release position and thenreturned by means driven by a bail control cam 65, which is best seen inFIG. 5. The bail control cam 65 is formed as a groove defined byopposite side walls 67 on a rearward, i.e., facing the magazine, side ofa gear 69 driven through a small gear 70 and a large gear 71 fixed to acommon shaft 72 with the large gear 71 being driven by a pinnion 73 ofthe motor 25. As the gear 69 and its cam 65 turn, the latter displaces acam follower in the form of a roller 75 (FIG. 5) carried on a lower arm77 of a bellcrank lever 79 pivoted on a horizontal shaft fixed to avertical plate 81. The bellcrank carries a bifurcated leaf spring 83which is attached at a post 85 to the upper arm of the bellcrank to movetherewith. The bifurcated ends of the spring 83 straddle a pin 87 fixedto an actuating lever 89 which is pivoted to its lower end to the inner,rear side of the vertical wall 81. The pin 87 projects through anarcuate slot 91 in the wall for arcuate travel in response to theyielding force applied thereto by the spring 83. The upper end of thelever 89 has a fork which receives the support bail 59 and forces thelatter to pivot about its upper inturned ends 63 between cassettesupporting and release positions. To release the cassette, a turning ofthe cam 65 forces the cam follower 75 to pivot the lower arm of thebellcrank 79 upwardly and cause the spring 83 to urge the pin 87 andlever 89 to turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 with theresult that the support bail 59 pivots to release the cassette fordropping downwardly. After a dwell period, the cam 65 will cause thesupport bail to pivot back to a position beneath the vacated compartmentto prevent any one from accidentally inserting a second cassette intothe transfer slot 19 through the vacated magazine compartment.

The cassette being transferred drops but a short distance from thesupport bail 59 and into abutment with a laterally projecting foot 93 ofa slider elevator 95 which lowers the eassette during this portion ofthe cassette changer operation and, as will be explained later, servesto return and lift the cassette to return the same to its storageposition within the magazine 13 at the end of a changer cycle. Theelevator slider 95 is guided for translatory vertical movement by meansof vertically disposed webs 97 (FIG. 5) thereon which are disposed forsliding on opposite sides of the transverse vertical wall 81 in which isformed a vertical slot 99. A portion of the elevator slider 95 projectsthrough the slot. The elevator is driven by means of a cam operatedlever 101 which is pivoted at one end on a pivot pin 103, as best seenin FIG. 5, fixed to the vertical wall 81 and which has an elongated slot105 formed in its other end for receiving a connecting pin 107 fixed tothe elevator slider. At this connection, the pivotal movement of theelevator lever 101 is converted into vertical reciprocating motion ofthe slider 95 without binding. The elevator lever 101 is pivoted inresponse to turning of cam 27 fixed to a forward face of the gear 69.More specifically, the elevator lever 101 is biased by a spring 141 tourge a cam follower roller 110 against the top surface of the rotatablecam 27.

During the initial portion of the cycle of the cam 27, the elevatorslider 95 and the cassette resting thereon move downwardly and thecassette is lowered onto a pair of support tubes 111 and 112 whichtelescope on horizontally disposed rods 1 14 and 115 fastened to avertically disposed main plate 117 of the movable chassis 20. Duringthis downward movement, the cassette is also held against lateralshifting relative to the support tubes 111 and 112 by means of a pair ofside guides 119, as best seen in FIG. 7, which have vertically extendinggrooves 121 to receive and limit any tilting or pivoting movement of thecassette from a substantially straight vertical plane. Also as best seenin FIG. 7, the support tubes 111 and 112 are cylindrical in shape with acircular flange 122 formed thereon at one end. The circular flanges areinserted into vertical guide slots 123 formed in the guides 119 adjacenta stationary, vertically disposed support wall 124. As will be explainedin greater detail, the support rod 115 projects beyond the support tube112 and spans the cassette receiving space to a connection with avertically slidable pin 126 guided for vertical translation in a slot127 in the wall 81.

The cassette 15 is thus supported on the support tubes 111 and 112 ofthe movable chassis 20 for downward movement therewith while the tapefeed spindles 21 penetrate into the openings in the reels 16 and 17 andthe capstans 23 penetrate the cassette adjacent the tape 18. To achievethese ends, the movable chassis 20 is articulated to the main cassettechanger frame side plates 130, as best seen in FIG. 3, by aparallelogram linkage formed by two sets of vertically spaced links 131disposed on opposite sides of the movable chassis main plate 1 17. Thelinks 131 are pivotally mounted on studs 133 at their lower ends andangularly upward to pivot pins 135 fixed to side brackets 137 fastenedto the vertical side edges of movable chassis main plate 117. As themovable chassis 20 moves downwardly, the links pivot in the clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 3, and cause the spindles 21 and the tapecapstans 23 on the movable chassis to project through openings in thestationary wall and to approach the plane of the cassette 15 andpenetrate the cassette while descending at the same rate as the cassetteresting on the support tubes 1 11 and 1 12.

The movable chassis 20 and the cassette 15 thereon are smoothly andquietly driven to and positioned in its final operative playing positionby the drive means which includes the cam 28 and the lever 31 driventhereby. The cam 28 is fixed to a large gear 137 (FIG. 6) which ismeshed with and driven by the gear 69 which, it will be recalled, isdriven through a gear train by the motor 25. The gear 137 and the cam 28are mounted for rotation about a mounting shaft 138 fixed to thevertically disposed frame plate 81. The chassis moving cam 28 controlsthe pivotal movement of a chassis actuator lever 31 which is pivoted atone end on a post 140 fixed to the frame plate 81 and is biased upwardlyby a contractile spring 141 hooked thereto at its lower end and hookedat its upper end to the elevator actuator lever 101. A cam followerroller 143 (FIG. 8) projects laterally from the lever 31 to engage theperiphery of the cam 28 at a point beneath the cam. The outer end of thelever 31 carries a laterally projecting drive pin 145 fastened to thelower end of a vertically disposed slider link 149 to which is fastenedto the sleeve 126 into which projects the rod 115 of the movablechassis. The sleeve is disposed within and constrained for verticalsliding by a vertically elongated slot 151 in the wall 81. During theinitial downward pivoting of the lever 31, a lost motion movement occursas the drive pin 145 slides down within the lower elongated slot 147without a concurrent movement of the link 149 until such time as thedrive pin abuts the bottom of the lower slot 147 and pulls the link 147down. Simultaneously, the link 149 pulls the slidable sleeve 126 and rod115 down and thereby causes the movable chassis 20 to descend bypivoting on the parallelogram linkage. This pivoting motion swings themovable chassis toward the plane of the cassette and inserts thespindles 21 into the cassette reels 16 and 17 and the tape capstans 23into the tape cassette 15.

The movable chassis 20 continues to descend to a position at which thelever 31 brings a switch actuator foot 151 into operative engagementwith a plunger 152 of a switch 153 which is operated thereby to open thedrive circuit for the motor 25. The motor 25 stops turning the cam 28and movable chassis stops descending and is in its operational position.

With the movable chassis 20 in the operational position, the cassette 15is positioned for playback or recording with feed ing of the tape 18past a transducer head 155 carried on a pause carrier 157 which forms atape feed nip with the capstan 23 on the movable chassis. Also as willbe explained in greater detail, a reverse feed pinch roller 161 ismounted on the pause carrier 157 to form a nip with the other capstan 23for feeding the tape in the reverse direction. The pinch rollers 159 and161 are so controlled that only one of the pinch rollers and only one ofthe two tape drive spindles 21 is in driving engagement for feeding thetape at one time. In this instance, the forward drive of the tape isaccompanied by the spindle 21 driv ing the cassette reel 16 to take uptape unwound from the reel 17 and feed the pinch roller 159 and capstan23 past the transducer head 155.

The pause carrier 157 is mounted for sliding movement in the verticaldirection between the operational position in which one of the pinchrollers 159 or 161 is in driving engagement with the tape and the soundtransducer head 155 engages the tape, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4,and the pause or inoperative position in which tape transport is stoppedsince the pinch rolls 159 and 161 are spaced from the tape, as shown inthe dotted line position in FIG. 4. The pause carrier 157 includes avertically disposed plate 165 which has a central flat portion disposedadjacent and parallel and closely adjacent the vertical wall 124, asbest seen in FIGS. 3 and 10. The pause plate 165 is guided for slidingvertical movement on the stationary wall 124 and is accurately locatedrelative to the cassette by means of guide roller means including anupper guide roller 167 (FIG. projecting laterally from an upper finger169 on the pause plate 165 and positioned thereon sliding within avertically elongated aperture 171 in the fixed wall 124. As best seen inFIG. 11, lower guide roller 173 is fastened to the pause plate 165 andis inserted into and constrained for sliding in a lower verticallyelongated slot 175 in the fixed wall 124. Thus, the pause carrier isguided along a straight line vertical path and is limited in its upwardor downward movement by the guide rollers 167 and 173 abutting the endsof the vertically elongated slots 171 and 175.

The pause carrier 157 is preferably biased to the operative play/recordposition by means of a contractile spring 177 which is fastened at itslower end in a spring retainer opening in a laterally extending foot 179on the lower end of the pause carrier plate 165. The return spring 177is positioned within an opening 181 in the pause carrier plate with itsupper end extending laterally and hooked in a hole 183 in the wall 124.Thus, the pause carrier plate is biased to move upwardly into itsoperational position by the contractile spring. As will be explainedhereinafter, the forward drive pinch roller 159 is positioned to form anip with its associated capstan 23 to cause track one of the tape to bedriven past the sound transducer head 155.

A tape sensing means 185 (FIG. 20A) functions to detect when one side ortrack of the tape 18 is completely played and operate a circuit to causea reverse feed of the tape and a playing of the second side of the tapein the usual mode of operation. More specifically, the preferred tapereels 16 and 17 have the tape 18 anchored to the respective reels sothat when the play out reel slows down or completely stops by virtue ofone unwinding all the tape therefrom, the motion of the tape reel andthe drive thereof is sensed by the sensing means 185. In this instance,the drive between the spindles 21 and the reels 16 and 17 is through afriction clutch so that arrest of the tape reel by the tape slows downthe spindle 21 and an eccentric cam 187 fixed to the drive spindle forrotation therewith. When the eccentric cam 187 is rotating with thespindle, it engages a contact swinger cam 189 on a swinger contact 191and causes a circuit to be made first with one contact 191 and then withanother contact 192. Engaging the opposite side of the eccentric cam 187and counterbalancing the effect of the swing cam is a brake member 195.As the eccentric rotates it operates the contact swinger to alternatelymake and break the sets of contacts which are connected in a suitablecircuit such as disclosed in copending application entitled ControlCircuit for a Bi-directional Recorder, U.S. Serial No. 875,209 filedNov. 10, 1969, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fullyreproduced herein.

During each rotation of the cam 187, capacitors (not shown) connected tothe set of contacts 191, 192 and 191,193 are charged and discharged andhence do not come up to a sufficiently high voltage to operate aswitching system for reversing the tape feed. However, when the tapespindle stops at the end of the rotation or slows down sufficiently, thecapacitors have sufficient time to come up to a voltage which will causeoperation ofa circuit to energize a solenoid 197 and to cause a shiftingof the circuits for the transducer head 155. As will be explained,operation of the solenoid 197 causes the pinch roller 159 to shiftdownward to an inoperative position and the reverse feed to shift pinchroller 161 to shift up into operative engagement with the tape 18 andform a tape feeding nip with the other capstan 23 of the cassette 15.

Turning now more specifically to the construction and the operation ofthe pinch roller 159 and 161, they are similar in construction and inoperation and are both mounted for pivoting from an operative tapefeeding position to an operative non-feed position. As best seen in FIG.10, the pinch rollers are carried in channeLshaped brackets 200 whichare pivotally mounted on the posts 201 which are fixed at their innerends to the pause carrier plate 165. The pinch roller brackets 200 havea pair of vertically extending side walls which are apertured to receiveand journal pinch roller axles 203 for the pinch rollers which freelyrotate about the axles when engaging with the tape. The pinch rollersproject partially into the open channels and partially thereabove to bein position for engagement with the tape 18. The respective pinch rollerbrackets 200 are biased toward the tape by biasing means in the form ofcoil torsion springs having an elongated leaf or end 205 extending tothe underside of a pad 207 formed on the outer end of the respectivepinch roller brackets 200. The coiled torsion springs are wound aboutposts 209 fixed to the pause carrier plate and having a smaller shortend which is inserted into an opening and bears against a top wall of aspring support bracket 211 which is also suitably attached to the pauseplate 165.

The pinch rollers 159 and 161 are selectively positioned into theoperative tape feeding position by means of a cam slider 212, as bestseen in FIGS. 11 and 12, carried on the reverse side of the stationaryvertical wall 124. Each of the pinch roller brackets 200 is providedwith a cam follower pin 213 which projects through the pause plate 165and also through circular openings 215 in the wall 124 for selective andoperable engagement with opposed cam surfaces 216 and 217 on oppositeends of the cam slider 212. The cam slider is preferably in the form ofan elongated slider which is constrained for generally horizontaltranslation by means of stationary pins 220 fixed to the wall 124 andeach projecting into one of a pair of spaced, elongated and generallyhorizontally extending slots 221 in the cam slider 212. Suitablewasher-like members hold the cam slider from moving longitudinally alongand off the pins 220,

In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the cam 217 is abuttingand holding downwardly the cam follower to space the forward drive pinchroller 159 from the tape and the opposite cam 216 is to the right of itsfollower 213 attached to the pinch roller bracket for the reverse drivepinch roller 161 so that the spring 205 may raise it as indicated by theupper position of the cam follower 213 adjacent the inclined cam 216.Thus, a reverse tape drive will be taking place as best seen in FIG.with the pinch roller 161 disposed to define a nip with the capstan 23to drive the tape past the transducer head. By shifting the cam slide212 to the left as viewed in FIG. 12, the cam 216 will force thefollower 213 attached to the reverse drive bracket to pivot it down andspace the reverse feed pinch roller 161 from the tape 18 while theinclined cam 217 moves to the left and allows the spring 205 to pivotthe forward pinch roller 159 upwardly.

From the above, it will be seen that the positioning of the cam slider212 controls which of the tape tracks is driven past the soundtransducer head 155, and the means for shifting of the cam slider 212will now be explained in detail. During the downward movement of themovable chassis 20, a pin 225 (FIGS, 3 and 12) projecting from and fixedto the movable chassis plate 1 17 was brought into engagement with theupper side of a tooth 227 of a pawl 229 and forced the pawl downwardlywhile the pin moved down within an open slot 231 in the stationary wall124. The upper end of the pawl 229 is pivotally mounted on a stud 230carried on an arm of a bellcrank 233, and through the stud 230 the pawlpulls the bellcrank to pivot counterclockwise about a stud 23S fixed tothe wall 124. The upper end of the bellcrank 233 is connected at a pin237 to the cam slider 212 to force the same to the left as viewed inFIG. 12, when the pawl 229 is driven down so that the cam 217 ispositioned to the left of the cam follower 213 for the pinch roller 159.Thus, the forward feed pinch roller 159 will be lifted into its upperfeeding position under the influence of its biasing spring 205. Also atthis time, the cam surface 216 will be abutting the follower 213 for thebracket containing the reverse feed pinch roller 161 and the latter willbe cammed downwardly away from the tape 18. This position remainsthroughout the feeding of the first side of the tape until the tapesensor means 185 operates the solenoid 197 to reverse tape feedingdirections and to cause a change of read out portions on the tapetransducer head 155 so that the second track will be read.

As previously explained, the solenoid 197 is operated in response to thetape sensing means 185 indicating that the tape has been played throughthe first track. With operation of the solenoid 197, as best seen inFIGS. 13 and 14, the solenoid retracts its plunger 240 and an operatingpin 241 on the plunger projecting toward the wall 124 abuts and pivotsthe pawl 229 (FIGS. 11 and 12) away from the pin 225, that is, in acounterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 12, to a position in whichthe pawl 229 is unlatched from the pin and the tooth 227 is spacedlaterally of the pin 225. The pawl is immediately raised above the pin225 by a biasing means in the form of a wound torsion spring 245 actingon the cam slide 212 and through the bellcrank 233 to the connectedupper end of the pawl 229 pivoted thereto at the pivot stud 230. Morespecifically, the cam slider 212 is slid to the right as viewed in FIG.12 to pivot the bellcrank 233 in a clockwise direction to lift the upperend of the attached pawl 229. The torsion spring 245 for shifting thecam slider has one end 247 held against the top side of a pin 248secured to the wall 124 and a center coil about a stud 249 fixed to thewall 124 and has an upstanding end 251 abutting the left side of aroller 253 carried on the cam slider 212. It will be recalled that thecoiled torsion spring 245 was compressed when the cam slider was movedto the left as a result of the pin 225 on the movable chassis engagingthe pawl 229 and forcing it down. The pawl 229 is returned intoalignment with the slot 231 to be in position for engagement with thedriving pin 225 on the next lowering of a cassette during a subsequentcycle by a hairspring 254 which has one end fastened to the stud 235 andanother end 256 hooked into the pawl 229.

The shifting of the tape feed means to feed the tape in reversedirection is accompanied by a switching of the sound transducer headcircuitry, which is disclosed in copending application entitled TrackSelector System For a Cassette Playback Device," Sert No. 877,971, filedNov. 19, 1969, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fullyreproduced herein. As best seen in FIG. 10, means in the form of arocker arm 259 and switches 255 and 257 operate the electrical circuitryto render active the portion of the transducer head for side two Also aswill be explained in connection with a pause operation, the switches 255and 257 retain their respective positions during movement of the pausecarri er 157 to and from the operational position and the remote pauseposition. The mutually exclusive operation of the switches 255 and 257is assured by the rocker arm 259 which mechanically moves the switches255 and 257 in opposite directions.

The switches 255 and 257 are directional control switches in that eachswitch operates an associated sound system circuit path and also causesthe forward or reverse indicator lamps 40 and 41 on the upper panel 35of the cassette changer to indicate the direction of tape drive to theoperator. These switches are generally similar, as best seen in FIG. 10,in that each is formed with a U-shaped bracket formed by a pair ofangular shaped members having abutted vertically disposed legs 260 andspaced horizontally extending legs 263. The latter legs have verticallyaligned slots therein through which project a vertical extending switchslider 265 which is movable vertically from a first (upper) position inwhich a U-shaped bus bar 266 thereon interconnects upper stationaryswitch contact 267a and intermediate switch contact 267b carried by thefixed brackets when its associated pinch roller is in a tape feedingposition. The switch slider 265 is also movable to and from a second(lower) position in which the bus bar 266 thereon is connecting theintermediate contact 26712 with a lower contact 267v.

The upper end of each switch slider 265 projects upwardly to the pad 207of its associated pinch roller bracket 200 and has its lower endextending downwardly into engagement with a pad 269 disposedtherebeneath and attached to the rocker arm 259. When the pinch rollerbracket pivots downwardly towards the inoperative position, its pad 207abutting the upper end of its associated switch slider 265 forces theslider downwardly relative to the fixed switch bracket and the lower endof the slider pivots its adjacent end of the switch reversing rocker arm259 downwardly about the rocker arms pivot post 271 which is fixed tothe pause plate 165. The preferred form of rocker arm 259 is formed withgenerally horizontally extending lever arms so that as one arm goesdown, the arm goes up and forces the other switch slider upwardly to theoperative position to connect an upper contact 267a and intermediatecontact 2671). Since there are no springs associated with either theswitch sliders 265, the directional control contacts will remain in thesame positions as the pause carrier 157 shifts between the operative andpause positions. Thus, the pinch rollers and switches 255 and 257 retainthe previous direction of tape feed and keep the proper tape feeddirection lamp 40 or 41 lit, in the pause position, so that whenever theoperator resumes operation, the tape transport will continue in the samedirection with the circuits for the transducer properly conditioned toprevent magnetization thereof.

When track two is finished in the cassette with the tape wound on thereel 17, the tape sensing means 185 will detect the failure of the tapeto continue movement and actuate the solenoid 197 for the second time toinitiate a return of the cassette to its storage compartmentv As will beexplained, the solenoid 197 will close a circuit to start the motor 25and cause the first cam 28 and the cam operated lever 31 to lift themovable chassis 20 to return the cassette upwardly toward the magazine.More particularly, the pulsing of the solenoid 197 for the second timecauses it to retract its plunger 240 and through its pin 241 pivot aswitch actuating lever 275 (FIG. 13) from its solid to its dotted lineposition to cause operation of several electrical switches including afirst switch 277. The switch actuating lever 275 has a clearance notch283 for the solenoid plunger pin 241 so that during the first retractionof the solenoid plunger which released the pawl 229, the pin moved intothe notch 283 and the switch lever 275 remained stationary. However, onthe second solenoid operation, the pin 241 abuts the lever 275 andswings the same about its upper pivotal mounting post 285 which is fixedto the wall 124. On the lower end of the lever is a laterally andgenerally horizontally extending leg 287 which normally forces a switchoperating button 289 of the first switch 277 upwardly into its housing.The lever leg 287 is biased against the switch housing by a contractilespring 291 which is connected at a lower end in an aperture in the wall124 and which is connected at its upper end by a hook to a generallyhorizontally disposed arm 290 of the switch actuating lever 275.

When the solenoid 197 causes the lever 275 to pivot to the dotted lineposition, the switch button 289 moves to protrude from the switchhousing and operate switch contacts to cause completion of a circuit forthe motor 25. With the motor 25 energized and turning the cam 28, thelatter causes the cam follower lever 31 (FIG. 8) to pivot upwardly withswitch contact actuator 151 lifting from the operator 152 for the switch153 which changes contacts to close a holding operating circuit for thecircuit for the motor 25.

The switch actuator lever 275 is provided with additional switchactuator 295 (as best seen in FIGS. 13 and 14) which projects at rightangles relative to the plane of pivotal move ment of the switch actuatorlever 275 and across the cassette receiving slot to operate a furtherswitch 297 on the vertical wall 81 to close another holding circuit pathfor the motor 25. Thus, the holding circuit for the motor 25 iscompleted when the leg 287 of the switch actuating lever 275 returns tothe solid line position shown in FIG. 13 and returns the button 289 intothe switch housing and places the motor start switch 277 in an opencondition.

With the motor 25 turning the cam 28, the latter pivots the lever 31 tocause the movable chassis to rise and lift the cassette 15 resting onthe support tubes 111 and 112. As the movable chassis rises, theparallelogram links 131 simultaneously retract the movable chassis plate117 thereby retracting spindles 21 from the tape reels 16 and 17 andretracting the capstans 23 from the cassette so that the cassette isfree for further lifting by the elevator 95 to the magazine 13.

Slightly after the movable chassis 20 returns to its upper position, theelevator lug 93 is brought into engagement with the underside of thecassette 15 by means of the upward movement of its lever 101 which isbeing pivoted upwardly by the cam 27 being turned by the motor throughappropriate gears. The elevator lug is driven through an upper strokesufficient that the cassette 15 is lifted upwardly through the transferslot 19 and above the cassette support bail 59 into one of thecompartments 14. It will be recalled that during the time of playing,the cassette support bail 59 was blocking the transfer slot 19 toprevent an operators superposing another cassette 15 onto the cassettewhich was playing. The cassette support bail 59 is pivoted to uncoverthe transfer slot 19 by means of the bail control cam 65 which turns thebellcrank 79 to pivot the bail about its upper ends 63 on the cassettetray. Prior to a return down movement of the elevator, the bail controlcam causes the cassette support bail 59 to swing under the now returnedcassette 15. Then, the cam 27 lowers the elevator lug to position belowthe cassette and magazine path of travel while the returned cassette isheld at one end by the bail 59 within its compartment in the magazine.

After return of one cassette 15 and the withdrawal of the elevator lug93 from the magazine, the magazine 13 is automatically stepped forwardto position its next compartment 14 and a cassette therein, if any, overthe transfer slot 19. It will be recalled that the magazine haslongitudinally extending tongues 51 mounted for sliding in grooves 53 inthe changer top wall. On the front side of the magazine adjacent one ofthe tongues is disposed a longitudinally extending rack 292 (FIG. 2)which is meshed with a rotatable drive gear 293 secured to an upper endof a vertical shaft 294 which has on its lower end a triangular member295, as best seen in FIG. 15, adapted to be driven by a pawl mechanism296, As will be explained, the cassette magazine travels through theexact distance of one compartment spacing with the turning of thetriangular member through by the pawl mechanism.

To assure that the triangular member 295 is to move the triangularmember through at least 60 and that a centering spring arrangementincluding biasing member 305 bearing against a flat side 306 of thetriangular member become operative to complete and to limit the turningto 120 to prevent misalignment of a magazine compartment 14 with thetransfer slot 19. In the preferred spring biasing arrangement, thebiasing member 305 is in the form of a lever which is pivotally mountedat its lower end by a pair of inturned integral projections 307 insertedinto openings of a lower side wall 308. The biasing member 305 is urgedagainst a flat side 306 of the triangular member 295 by means of aspring 311 having an upper end hooked in an aperture 312 in the biasingmember 305 and extending downwardly and inwardly to a post fastened tostationary wall 81 of the cassette changer. To facilitate turning ofcomers of the triangular member 295 past the biasing member, rollers 319are journaled at each of the comers of the triangular shaped member.These rollers reduce frictional retarding forces as the biasing member305 is forced outwardly against the urging of the spring 31 1.

The preferred pawl mechanism 296 for turning the triangular member 295includes a vertically disposed pawl 321 which is carried on a pawlcarrier 323 which is pivoted at a lower U- shaped end thereof on a post325 fixed to the stationary wall 81. The pawl carrier is normally biasedto a position spaced from the triangular shaped member 295 by means of aspring 326 (FIG. 17) which is hooked at one end to the carrier andhooked at its opposite end to a bent tab 327 on the stationary wall 81.The pawl carrier is pivoted toward the triangular member when acylindrical cam pin 329 formed on the gear 69, as best seen in FIGS. 6and 18, engages an upwardly inclined cam surface 331 on the side of thepawl carrier and pivots it about its pivot post 325 against the urgingof the spring 326 and swings the pawl thereon to abut a laterallyextending pawl tooth 333 with the nib 303 positioned in front of thepawl tooth. The pivotal movement of the pawl carrier and pawl tooth issufficient to turn the triangular member 295 through at least 60 to movea roller 319 to force the biasing member 305 outwardly from a flat side306 of the triangular member with the roller moving past a dead centerposition with respect to the biasing member 305 whereby it then exerts aforce to continue turning of the triangular member through the 120 andto limit the turning to exactly 120.

The preferred form of feed pawl 321 is mounted for sliding verticalmovement on the pawl carrier 323 from its normal operative position forengagement with the nibs 303 of the triangular member to a lowernon-feeding position in which the pawl tooth 333 moves in a planebeneath the nibs 303. The feed pawl 321 is slidably mounted on the pawlcarrier by a pair of pins 335 which are fixed to the carrier andinserted into vertically elongated openings 337 in the pawl. The pawl isbiased upwardly into the feeding position by means of a contractilespring 339 which is hooked at its lower end to a bracket portion of thepawl 321 and at its upper end to a laterally extending lug on the pawlcarrier. Thus, the pawl is urged upward to seat the lower ends of theelongated slots 337 on guide pins 335 carried by the pawl carrier 323.

In the usual mode of operation, the magazine 13 is moved step by step bythe l20 turnings of the gear 293 to shift each of the successivecassette storage compartments over the transfer slot 19. Movement of themagazine to position the last compartment at the transfer stationconditions an automatic shut-off mechanism 340 (FIG. 18) to terminateoperation of the cassette changer and then after the return of this lastcassette to the last of the magazine chambers, the cassette changeroperation is terminated.

Referring now to FIG. 18, the illustrated shut-off mechanism isconditioned by means of a depending earn 341 fixed to the underside ofthe tray-like magazine 13. The depending cam is preferably in the formof a vertically disposed pin fixed to one end of a leaf spring 343fastened to the underside of the magazine. The cam pin is carried by themagazine when shifting its last compartment to the transfer station to aposition to strike the upper side of a pivotally mounted conditioninglever 345 which is journaled on a post 348 fixed to the stationaryvertical wall 308 of the cassette changer. As the cam pin strikes theupper side of the conditioning lever, the latter pivots downwardly in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 18 about its pivot post and swingsdownwardly a conditioning link or driver 347 which is pivotallyconnected thereto by a pivot pin 349.

Formed generally centrally of the elongated conditioning driver 347 is alaterally extending drive lug 351 which is normally disposed in a planeabove the adjacent end of an automatic shut-off lever 353 fornon-engaging travel above the shut-off lever until the driver 347 isshifted downwardly by the cam pin 341. More specifically, when theconditioning lever 345 is pivoted downwardly by the cam pin, the driverlug 351 on the driver is lowered into a horizontal plane forsubsequently engaging and pivoting an end 355 of the shut-off lever, asbest seen in FIG. 19.

The conditioned driver 347 is driven laterally to pivot the shut-offlever to a position, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 19, by the pawlmechanism 296 which normally functions to step the magazine forwardly toposition the next magazine compartment at the transfer station. The pawlmechanism, however, is disabled from turning the gear 293 by a pin 357carried by the driver 347 into engagement with the top of the feed pawl321 and forcing the feed pawl down to an inoperative position. As bestseen in FIG. 15, the lower end of the driver 347 is disposedintermediate the feed pawl 321 and pawl carrier 323 and the lower end ofthe driver has an elongated slot 359 which receives an upper one of theextending pins 335 fixed to the pawl carrier and projecting laterallyinto vertically elongated slots 337 in the pawl 321. Thus, the pawlcarrier acts through upper pin 335 which is in the slot 359 of thedriver 347 to swing the lower end of the driver clockwise, as viewed inFIG. WlTI-l THE result that the driving lug 351 on the driver abuts andswings the end 355 of the shut-off lever 353 about vertically disposed,pivotal mounting post 361 (FIG. 19) therefor in a direction to release alatch pawl 363 holding the on/off push button selector 42F in adepressed actuated position. More specifically, the automatic shut-offlever 353 is formed with a hook 365 receiving a depending foot 367 onthe latch pawl 363 to pivot the same. In this instance, the hook 365moves in a horizontal plane which is substantially normal to the planeof the latch pawl 363 and the hook partakes of a substantial movement tobring a distal end 369 of the hook against the foot of the latch pawland thereby pivot an upper head 371 of the latch pawl outwardly wherebya locking pin 373 on the push button selector 42F is free to rise fromthe latch pawl head. As will be more fully explained, a

slight depression and then release of the selector 42F also acts toshift the latch pawl 363 and release the same. An opening 375 in thehook 365 accommodates this amount of movement which is quite small incomparison to the movement of the hook by the automatic shut-off lever353. Thus, the automatic shut-off lever is always in position foroperating, but yet does not interfere with normal operation and releaseof the latch pawl 363 by a slight depression of the push buttonselector.

Most of the remaining push button selectors 42A, 428. etc., are latchedby a latch pawl similar to the illustrated latch pawl 363 and arepivotally mounted adjacent to their respective selectors on horizontallydisposed pivot pins similar to an illustrated pivot pin 377 on which ismounted a return spring 379 for the latch pawl. Thus, a description ofthe on/ofi push button selector 42F and its latch pawl 363 will providean understanding of the other push button selectors and their respectivelatch pawls. The upper head 371 of the latch pawl is formed with ahook-shaped opening or mouth 381 and with a top curved surface 383 to beengaged during a downward movement by the pin 373. Downward movement ofthe pin 373 against curved surface 383 cams the latch pawlcounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 19 until the pin 373 is aligned toenter the opening 381 whereby the flexed upper end of the torsion spring379 pivots the pawl clockwise to capture the push button pin 373 andhold the push button against the upward pull of a contractile returnspring 385 (FIG. 21) fastened at one end of the push button selector 42Fand at another end to a stationary member 387. In this latched position,the pin 373 abuts a side 389 of a downwardly and forwardly inclined tab391 on the latch pawl to limit the clockwise turning thereof until thepush button selector is depressed for release, at which time the pin 373moves down from engagement with the inclined tab allowing the torsionspring 379 to turn the latch pawl clockwise slightly to a positionbeneath the inclined tab whereupon the return spring 385 lifts theselector 42F with the pin 373 pivoting the latch pawl outwardly to itsrelease position.

For the purpose of resetting the other push button selectors 42A, 42B,etc., which may have been operated at the time of automatic shut-off,the on/off selector 42F is provided with a release cam 393 which cams arelease lever 395 which has a plurality of upstanding lugs 397 forpivoting to engage and rock each of the latch pawls to a releaseposition to assure that its push button selector is released andreturned by its return spring 385.

In this instance, the release cam 393 on the selector 42F includes anintegral bent forward portion 399 from which extends a lateral tab 401for engaging an inclined cam surface 403 on an upstanding finger 405 ofthe release lever 395. As the push button selector 42F rises, itslateral tab 401 abuts the inclined cam surface 403 and forces itrearwardly thereby pivoting the release lever 395 about a pivotal axisthrough a pair of pivot ears 407 thereon. As the release lever pivotsrearwardly, the lugs 397 abut the feet of the associated latch pawls andpivot the lower ends thereof inwardly which results in the upper endspivoting outwardly from the push button selectors. Thus, push buttonselectors such as the on/off push button selector 42F are simultaneouslyreleased and reset. Reset of the on/off selector 42F operates electricalcontacts 409 to disconnect electrical power to the cassette changerwhich is thereby shut off.

It will be recalled that a repeat play of a cassette 15 may beinstituted upon turning the rotatable selector switch 39 to position Aon the control panel of the cassette changer. As will be explained indetail, turning of the selector switch to the repeat position disablesthe magazine feed mechanism and permits a repetitive cyclic playing ofthe cassette until the repeat selector switch is returned to itsnon-repeat position. That is, the magazine remains stationary while thecassette transfer mechanism including the elevator 93 moves through itsusual and complete cycle of returning the cassette to its magazinecompartment but, instead of feeding the magazine forwardly andextracting the next cassette, the previously played cassette is againextracted and lowered to the tape transducer head 155 for anotherplayback. When the repeat selector switch is returned to a non-repeatposition B, C or D, the magazine feed means is enabled to shift themagazine and bring the next compartment and the next cassette into thetransfer station.

The selector switch 39 includes a manually turnable knob 411 (FIG. 15)projecting above the top plate 35 of the cassette changer and avertically disposed shaft 413 which is attached to the knob andjournaled for turning in the top plate. The shaft 413 extends below thetop plate and operates a linkage 415 to shift the feed pawl 321 down tothe disabled position in which the magazine will remain stationary whenthe feed pawl 321 is actuated. On the lower end of the selector shaft413 is a selector arm 417 which is provided with a lost motionconnection to the linkage 415 so that the selector arm operates thelinkage only when the selector is shifted to position A for a repeatoperation. The lost motion connection is constituted by an elongatedslot 419 through which projects an end 421 of a selector link 423 whichis in the form of an elongated bent wire with an offset end insertedthrough the elongated slot 419 in the selector arm. When the selectorarm is turned by the knob 411 between ones of several arm is turned bythe knob 411 between ones of several non-repeat positions B, C or D, theselector link 423 remains stationary as the arm slides along the link atthe slot. When the selector switch 39 is turned to the repeat" positionA, the selector arm 417 abuts a cross pin 425 fixed to and extendinglaterally from the selector link 423 and forces the selector link to theright as viewed in FIG. 15. The right end of the selector link is in theform of a hook 427 inserted into an opening of a bellcrank 429, thelatter being pivotally mounted on a post 430 to convert horizontalmovement of the selector link into a vertical movement of an attachedrepeat link 431 which is also in the form of an elon gated wire havingan upper end hooked to a lower arm of the bellcrank. A lower end 433 ofthe repeat link is inserted through an aperture in a horizontallyextending foot 435 on the feed pawl 321, and a coiled spring 437 isseated atop of this foot and extends upwardly to abut a stop orwasher-like member 439 which encircles the repeat link. The member 439is limited in its upward travel on the link by a swaged portion on thelink having a larger dimension than the dimension of the hole in thewasher. Therefore, a downward movement of the repeat link 431 actsthrough the member 439 and spring 437 to force the feed pawl 321 toslide downwardly on a pawl carrier 323 to position the pawl tooth 333beneath the nibs 303 on the triangular member 295. Thus, the magazinewill remain stationary for each cycle of the cassette changer with thesame cassette being returned to the magazine, lowered and replayed untilthe selector switch 39 is turned from the repeat position A. Such aturning of the selector switch 39 from the repeat position allows thecompressed spring 437 and the pawl return spring 339 to act to force therepeat link 431 upwardly to pivot the bellcrank 429 and thereby returnthe link 423 to the left. Hence, the feed pawl 321 is in position tostep the magazine upon the termination of the play of the cassette 15 inthe cassette changer.

A fast wind of the tape may be initiated by operation of either theforward fast wind push button 428 for causing a high speed forwardmovement of the tape causing it to be wound on the reel 17 or a reversefast wind push button 42C for causing the tape to be wound on thereverse reel 16. The fast wind push buttons 42B and 42C are interlockedwith a play/record push button 42D so that immediately upon operation ofone of the fast wind push buttons, the play/record operation at thelower speed is terminated and the pinch rollers 159 and 161 andtransducer head 155 are shifted from the tape into the pause" or standbymode prior to initiation of the high speed winding operation. If thepause carrier 157 is already in the pause, standby mode, the depressionof a fast wind push button results in an immediate fast wind tapefeeding operation. A fast wind operation terminates when the tape iscompletely wound on a reel or the operated push button 428 or 42C isreturned to its unoperated position.

As best seen in FIGS. 21 and 22, each of the fast wind buttons 42B and42C is operative to turn a bellcrank 440 to move vertically a link 441which extends downwardly and is pivotally connected at its lower end toa fast wind lever 443, FIGS. 11 and 12. The fast wind lever is disposedgenerally horizontally and is pivoted on an outwardly, horizontallyprojecting pivot pin 445 fixed to a vertical stationary frame plate 124.The fast wind lever functions to swing a power roll 447 (FIG. 24) todrive the spindle 21 for the forward tape reel 16 or for the reversetape reel 17. The fast wind lever is movable from a central idle orinoperative position, such as illustrated in FIG. 11, in which the powerroll 447 is not effective to an upper forward position in which thepower roll is shifted to drive the forward reel 16 or to a lower reverseposition, such as illustrated in FIG. 12, in which the power roll isshifted to drive the reverse tape reel 17. As will be explained, thepower roll 447 is carried on the upper end of a rocker arm or lever 449(FIG. 24) carried on the outer side of movable chassis plate 117 of themovable chassis 20. It will be recalled that the movable chassis plate117 is mounted by the parallelogram linkage including the links 131(FIG. 3) to simultaneously lower the cassette as the chassis plate movestoward the plane of the stationary frame plate 124 carrying the fastwind lever 443.

To provide a yieldable interconnection between the fast wind lever 443and the rocker arm 449, the fast wind lever carries a forked spring 451(FIG. 11) having upper widely spaced ends 453 and 455 into the fork ofwhich projects a pointed pin 457 (FIG. 24) fastened to the rocker armwhen the chassis plate 117 carrying the rocker arm moves closelyadjacent the stationary frame plate supporting the fast wind lever.Thus, the pointed pin 457 may be inserted and centered between thespring ends 453 and 455 and be engaged and turned by them to pivotrocker arm and thereby swing the power roll 447 from its centered idleposition. The forked spring ends provide a non-positive and only alimited amount of force for urging the power roll into engagement withone of the reels, and this prevents generation of excessive lateralforces by the power roll which could not be overcome and which wouldresult in a failure to achieve a high speed tape transport, as will beexplained.

As best seen in FIG. 24, the rocker arm 449 for the power roll 447 ispivoted on a stud 459 fixed to the movable chassis plate 117 and iscentered in the idle, non-driving position by a centering means whichincludes a spring biased centering lever 461. More specifically, therocker arm is connected to the centering lever at the lower portionthereof which carries a turnable eccentric stud 463 which projects intoa downwardly extending V-shaped notch 465 in the centering lever 461.The preferred Vshaped notch 465 is formed in the lower edge of thecentering lever 461 with walls disposed at 45 to the vertical. Thecentering lever is pivotally mounted at one end on a pivot stud 467fixed to the movable chassis plate 117 and its opposite end is bent toprovide a laterally projecting hook 469 which projects at right anglesto the plate 117 and through an elongated slot therein. As best seen inFIG. 23, the projecting hook 469 of the centering lever 461 is attachedto the upper end of a vertically disposed contractile spring 471 whichis hooked at its lower end to the movable chassis plate 117. The spring471 is of sufficient strength to center the rocker arm 447 but yieldsreadily when the forked spring 451 pivots the rocker arm pin 457. Uponrelease of the fast wind lever, the centering spring 461 returns thepower roll 449 and rocker arm 449 to the centered, non-driving idleposition. This idle position is maintained and precisely located byturning the eccentric stud 463 relative to the V-shaped groove in thecentering lever 461 which thereby pivots the rocker arm to carry thepower roll to the desired adjusted idle position.

In its preferred form, the power roll 447 has an outer small rubber tireand it is fixed to one end of an axle 473 which projects into and isjournaled in a bearing disposed within an elongated bearing housingfastened to the upper end of the rocker arm 449. The bearing housingprojects rearwardly through a

1. In a cassette changer for cassettes having a pair of tape reelsbetween which a tape is wound and unwound, a magazine havingcompartments for storing a series of cassettes and positioning each ofsaid cassettes at a transfer station for movement to an operatingstation, means including a movable chassis for transferring a cassettefrom said transfer station to said operating station and for returningsaid cassette to said magazine, a pair of spindles on said movablechassis for penetration into said tape reels during transfer of saidcassette to an operating position at said operating station, spindlemotor drive means on said movable chassis for driving said spindles, aforward tape transport capstan for penetrating the cassette and acooperable pinch member for transporting said tape in a forwarddirection, a reverse tape capstan for penetrating the cassette and acooperable pinch member for transporting said capstan in a reversedirection, a changer motor drive means for driving said chassis to saidoperating station including a pivotally mounted lever connected to saidmovable chassis and a cam for pivoting said lever to drive said movablechassis to said operating position, said lever and cam holding the sameat said operating position during a playback or recording operation, afirst switch means operable with positioning of said movable chassis atsaid operating position to disable the drive of said chassis by saidchanger motor drive means at said operating station, means including asolenoid movable to a first position to reverse tape transport andmovable to a second position to cause operation of said change motordrive means, said solenoid disabling the forward tape transport by saidforward tape transport capstan and pinch member and enabling reversetape transport by said reverse tape transport capstan and pinch memberto transport said tape in the reverse direction, a second switch meansactuated by movement of said solenoid to said second position aftertermination of reverse tape transport for operating said changer motordrive means to turn said cam and pivot said lever to drive said movablechassis in a return direction while said spindles and capstans are beingwithdrawn from said cassette being returned to its compartment in saidmagazine, and stepping means to step automatically said magazine toposition another one of said compartments in said magazine and anothercassette therein at said transfer station for transfer to said movablechassis for movement therewith to said operating position at which saidfirst switch means again disables said changer motor drive means.
 2. Achanger in accordance with claim 1 in which a sound transducer head isprovided for engagement with said tape, a pause carrier for saidtransducer head and said pinch members is mounted for slidable movement,and means are connected to said carrier to shift it to carry saidtransducer head and one of said pinch members into operative engagementwith said tape for playback or recording and to retain said carrier insaid operating station for each of the cassettes being sequentiallyplayed or recorded upon.
 3. A changer in accordance With claim 2 inwhich means are operable by said solenoid to shift said forward drivepinch member to an inoperative position from said tape and to shift saidreverse drive pinch member to engage said tape, said pinch members onsaid pause carrier retaining their respective operative and inoperativepositions with shifting of the carrier to and from said tape.
 4. Acassette changer in accordance with claim 1 in which said second switchmeans includes a first switch for causing said changer motor drive meansto turn said cam and pivot said lever to drive said movable chassis tosaid operating position, and a second switch for establishing a holdingcircuit to cause said return movement of said movable chassis.